Apparatus for making metal tubes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. KEIL, Jr. APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL TUBES.

- Patented Sept. 13, 1892. 176

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(No Mo el.)-

' P. KEIL, Jr.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL TUBES.

Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

\ igzx each other and with the furnace structure. Each combustion chamber contains a grate'B edges.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER KEIL, JR, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,364, dated September 13, 1892.

Application filed February 3, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER KEIL, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Metal Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to operations of making plate metal tubes from bent skelp by the lap Welding process. In the manufacture of the smaller sizes of tube the old processes are satisfactory, but in the making of the larger sizes they are unsatisfactory becausenecessitating the employmentofskelp of such breadth as to be difficult and costly to make or, if made, to handle and weld with a single seam.

It is the object of my invention to manufacture plate metal tubes of large diameter by the use of two (or more) instead of one skelp, and by the aid of welding machinery adapted to unite said skelp by .forming longitudinal seams along their adjacent lapped or butted My invention comprehends the improvements in apparatus for making tubes of large diameter hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a top plan view, Fig. 2 a transverse sectional elevation, and Fig. 3 a central vertical longitudinal side sectional elevation, through apparatus embodying my improvements. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevational detail of the mandrel and mandrel rolls.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Ais a double heating f urnace, being conveniently of quadrangular conformation but provided with an arched roof thelongitudinal central portion of which is preferably but not necessarily formed of open-metal framing composed of metalbraces bolted together to form, the keystone of the arch. The furnace is preferably of the same length as the skelp to be heated in it, and it embodies two lateral and parallel combustion chambers, a a, coextensive in length with extending, if solid fuel be used, from its bridge wall B to the side wall a of the fur- Serial No. 380 102. (No model.)

nace. In each side wall are provided suitable openings at to permit of the charging of fuel to the grate.

O O are what may be termed vertical partitions, respectively parallel with each other;

the furnace structure, the skelp to be heated and welded are caused to pass.

The lower portion of the skelp-heating chamber, which exists between the vertical partitions O O or inner walls of the combustion chambers of the furnace, is provided either with a series of carrying rolls D, as shown in Fig. 2, or with a track 6, upon which a skelp-carrying truck E, as shown in Fig. 3, may travel, to carry the skelp into the furnace, through it up to the mandrel, and out from it between and beyond the welding rolls. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, the carrying surface of the carrying truck E is gutter shaped the better to support the lower skelp.

F is a mandrel rod extending throughout the skelp-heating chamber, and supported in any usual manner. Upon this rod suitable supports f are arranged to support the upper skelp. At its rear end it projects beyond the furnace and is provided with a mandrel head f X of the form shown in the drawings, that is to say of elliptic cross-section. The lateral edges of the mandrel head are provided with edge pieces f of steel or other metal, which are conveniently removable so as to be replaced when worn out or by others of other sizes.

G G are a pair of rolls, one of which is located at each side of the mandrel as shown. The axes of these rolls are vertical and their grooved peripheries are conformed to the lat- 'eral curvature of the mandrel. They are I suitably supported in'any preferredhousing g and are adapted to be adjusted to any desired set laterally and vertically with respect to the mandrel. I They are positively driven by suitable known means, and in conjunction with the mandrelthey form a weldingdevice 1 adapted to weld together therespective meet ing longitudinal edgesof the twoskelp which I employ. If desiredthe rolls'may be idlers, and the skelp be: drawn through them over,

I themandrel by suitable'applian'ces, from the delivery'side of the rolls. In the drawings the two skelp represented shown. When the under skelpl l has'be'en I placednpon the carriageor rolls, the upper skelp H is in reversed position placed upon I it, so that their edges meet or lap, and the two in such temporary, relationship are then, iu-,

troduced within the; skelp-heating chamber of thefnrnace, the skelp supports on the [Q j; I mandrelrod'aidingto maintain the upper skelp. :When in the furnacetheir-respective lateral edges, as is apparent, are presented in 3o combustion chambers, 1 so that both sets I or I pairsof meeting edges to be welded are contemporaneously heated in the common and the, path of the flame from, the respective ing of such portions, thereby insures to them the retention of their curvature, and prevents the possibility of such collapse as might, notwithstanding the supports, ensue, did said portions likewise become heated toa welding heat. So soon as the edges have been sufficiently heated the skelp on the rolls or carriage are advanced to the mandrel and into bite with the welding rolls, which being, as stated, preferably, positively driven, draw the skelp over the mandrel. As the skelp pass through the rolls both seams are simultaneously welded. The tube formed by the welding union of two bent skelp in the manner above set forth, is elliptical and not cylindric in cross-section, and must thereafter be made cylindric by being passed through suitable truing-up-rolls or kindred devices.

It will be understood that. by the practice of my invention the necessity for making and handling the large sized skelp heretofore necessary in the manufacture of plate metal tubes of large diameters, is obviated; that the size of the skelp-heating chamber of the furnace is reduced; and that, the heating and They are pre erably welding of the two seams being accomplished at 13116831116 time, my process is not more expensive than the earlier processes already re- I ferred to. It is also to beunderstood that,without departure from the invention, the skelp, whichlzemploymay be each formed to semicylindricinstead oftosemi-ellipticalshape,be- I I fore being heatedand welded; that other constructions; of furnace, other devices for carryother welding devices per se, may, be substi-,

'tut'ed for those represented in the drawings and already described.

The devices represented are, however, suitable for: the purpose and comprehend a typical embodiment of my ingthe skelp to and through the furnace, and 1 I 1 invention. It, is proper also to remark that, I

, 1. An apparatus for the manufacture of me tallic tubes from aplurality of skelp, in which arecom bined the following elements: -a dou-' I I ble skelp-heating furnace embodying acenwhile I prefer to'employbuttwocounterpart I y I I skelp, it is also within the scope of my inven- 7 tion, withsuitablemodifications in the number and arrangement of the welding rolls, to I I I employ a plurality in excess of two. I i I I 7 Having thus described my invention, I 'claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent: I

tral' vertically 7 extending skelp-heating chami ber co-extensive with the length of the fur :nacestructure, and also embodying two lat- I I eral combustion chambers respectivelyin con- I I I nection with the upper portionof: said skelp- I mandrel head in suitable relation to the pass of the rolls, and also with supports for sustaining an upper skelp;and skelp-carrying devices arranged within the lower portion of said skelp-heating chamber, and adapted to support and carry a lower skelp;-substantially as and for the purpose as set forth.

-2.' A double skelp-heatingfurnace, embodying a central skelp-heating chamber, two lateral combustion chambers connecting with said skelp-heating chamber, and down-takes formed in partitions which form the inner walls of said combustion chambers and the walls of the lower portion of said skelp-heating chamber, substantially as set forth. 7

3. In combination with a furnace embodying a central skelp-heating chamber and lateral combustion chambers,--a rolling mill composed of welding rolls located at the delivery end of the furnace in alignment with its skelp-heating chamber and provided with a mandrel head,and a mandrel rod supporting said mandrel head, extending completely through said skelp-heating chamber of the furnace, and provided with skelp supports-- substantially as set forth.

4. A double skelp-heating furnace comprising two lateral combustion chambers embodying suitable outlets for the products of combustion, and askelp-heatingchamber situated between and as to its respective sides ineommy invention I have hereunto signed my munication with said combustion chambers, name this 30th day of December, A. D. 1890. and as to its intermediate portion in communication with the atmosphere through a lon- PETER KEIL, JR. 5 gitudinal top opening, substantially as set In presence of forth. WM. 0. STRAWBRIDGE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as F. NORMAN DIXON. 

